Top 8 Hiding Places for Rats

No one wants to see a rat in their home. More to the point, no one wants rats in their home, visible or not! These sneaky rodents can be unbelievably determined, and hide themselves quite well. You might not even realize rats are present, until they’ve bred for months. Now they’ve established a little community, and one day you begin noticing evidence of a rat presence. At this point you might think rats have just moved into the neighborhood.

In reality, they’ve probably been hiding around your home for a while. So, where exactly might they be hiding? In no particular order, here are the top 8 hiding places for rats…

Inside the walls

In the attic

In the utility room or garage

In the garden

In the basement

In drains and sewers

In the kitchen cupboards or pantry

In your backyard shed

Keep in mind that these are just some of the more common places that rats like to hide. They’ll choose any spot that they believe will help them avoid detection, and where they feel safe to hide their babies. They prefer materials like insulation and cardboard, which they shred to make their nests. An overly cluttered closet could even make the perfect hiding spot.

One of the best rodent control measures you can take is to assess your home to determine whether you’ve unwittingly provided idea “rat real estate”. Holes in walls should be sealed, clutter should be removed, and avoid storing possessions in those highly desirable cardboard boxes (use locking plastic tote boxes instead).

And of course, you don’t want to provide free meals for any rodents who might stop by (like a stray dog or cat, they’ll quickly decide to stick around). Keep your trash in a bin that latches tightly, don’t leave food unattended, and store bird seed and pet food securely.

If you see rat droppings or signs of nesting around your home, give us a call right away. Prompt attention to rodent control can help get the problem under control much sooner.